This invention relates to battery-operated data collection apparatus having an infrared touch screen data entry device.
In manufacture of an aircraft, it is necessary to carry out numerous tests to ensure that the subsystems within the aircraft have been installed and connected properly and will operate in the desired fashion. Some of these tests can be carried out using automatic diagnostic equipment which is connected to a diagnostic port of the aircraft. Test signals are applied to the diagnostic port and measurement results are detected by the diagnostic equipment and transmitted to a host computer. However, many tests must still be carried out manually by a technician. In order to carry out these manual tests, the technician is provided with numerous sheets of paper having the test procedures described thereon. A test procedure might direct the technician to measure a quantity and enter the result, or determine whether a defined condition exists. These test sheets are attached to a clipboard, and the technician follows the directions and enters the test results on the sheets. When the tests have been completed, the test sheets are given to a data entry operator, who enters the test results into the host computer by way of a conventional data entry terminal. The computer diagnoses the test results to determine whether they indicate a fault condition and, if so, provides the information necessary to identify and remedy the fault condition.
This conventional test procedure is subject to disadvantage in that the test sheets may be torn, soiled or misplaced. Transcribing the test results from the test sheets is an error-prone operation. Moreover, the technician is required to carry not only the clipboard but also a pencil to write down the test results and this is inconvenient since most tests will require the technician to put the pencil down and then retrieve it in order to write down the results.
Portable computers, having an LC (liquid crystal) display and a conventional QWERTY keyboard are known. Such a portable computer may be coupled to a host computer for transmission of data therebetween. However, a portable computer is not suitable as a substitute for test sheets attached to a clipboard in carrying out manual tests on an aircraft, because it is then necessary for the technician to pay attention to two distinct areas, namely the display for reading instructions with respect to a test and the keyboard for entry of information relating to the result of the test. Moreover, conventional computer keyboards may be intimidating to some technicians, thus increasing the incidence of error.